The Safe Kids St. Louis coalition was formed in 1986 to bring together a unified group of child safety advocates in the St. Louis area and build a safety network within the community. The group works with the National Safe Kids Campaign to promote programs that reduce childhood injury, a leading killer of children 14 and under in the United States.

Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death for children 14 years old and younger. Each year in Missouri, more than 425,000 children suffer from accidental injuries that require emergency room visits or hospital stays. The cost to taxpayers is huge, both in immediate and follow-up care.

Over the last 20 years, Safe Kids has contributed to a 45% reduction in the child fatality rate from accidental injury in the United States. This means more than 38,000 children's lives saved! Locally, the Safe Kids St. Louis coalition provides free car seat inspections, bike helmet fittings and education about child safety at home, in the car and while at play.

The mission behind Safe Kids is to urge prevention of unintentional injury through education, enforcement and engineering.

Safe Kids St. Louis is a program of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital and is located at 1465 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63104.